Friday, 28 December 2012

If It Isn't the Prisner - Then What Is It?

    If you look at the two images you will see that the second is simply a reinterpretation of the first, and that is how it is with THEPRIS6NER series itself. It is not a remake, and was never intended to be a remake, yet that is how many members of the press fraternity have seen it. Even the opening scene of Arrival when the Prisoner is waking up in the desert is a reworking of the scene when the Prisoner wakes up in what he thinks is his own home, but finds that it isn't. The disorientation of the subject is the same, even in different environments. On the one hand an Italianate Village, on the other a desert and mountains!
    Throughout the series there are echoes of the original series with reinterpretations of certain scenes of the original series, and homage is paid to McGoohan's creation. But time has moved on since McGoohan's series, and it's reflected in THEPRIS6NER, yet the Village is a retro place, has the feel of the 1950's and 60's about it. Cars and vans from both Great Britain and America stem from the 50's and 60's, as do television sets, and peoples decorations in their homes.
    I'm not at all sure that THEPRIS6NER has left an indelible mark in the minds of fans of the original series, and I'm sure that the majority of fans will not grieve for it's passing. But in my book, as it is with the minority of fans, who like and have enjoyed THEPRIS6NER, and continue to do so through the DVD box set, will tell you THEPRIS6NER has something, even if that "something" cannot be truly defined. But wasn't that the way with the original series of it's time? As for the question first posed in the headline "If it isn't THEPRIS6NER - Then What is It? Well it's called THEPRIS6NER, so that's clearly what it is, whether fans of the original like it or not.

Breathe in….breathe out….more….Village.

4 comments:

  1. Hi David,

    well, from this point of view, I guess he is new here, so he doesn't conform to the rules, maybe he still thinks that he is not subject to them. And maybe he is considered to be a little bit unmutual by some. Isn't he?

    Kind regards,
    Jana

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    1. Hello Jana,

      An interesting comment. He's new here, doesn't conform to the rules, and thinks he's not subject to them, well he's certainly confused!
      What's more I forgot to add the two images!!!!! I've only just relaised that! The two images would have been one from 'Dance of the Dead' when No.6 wakes up on the beach. And from THEPRIS6NER when Six wakes up somewhere in the desert.

      Kind regards
      David
      BCNU

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  2. Arthur Butterworth28 December 2012 at 22:45

    It may be called The Prisoner but the remake is just an annoying footnote attached to McGoohan's timeless classic. The remake had nothing to say, it was just a pathetic attempt to cash-in on what it's misguided creators saw as being just another TV franchise - like 'Knight Rider', 'Bionic Woman' or 'Battlestar Galactica'. How wrong they were.

    However if, as it appears, you personally get something out of this sorry insult to Mcgoohan's original then I'm happy for you. But I can't help but wish you had a separate page for the remake though, as I'd rather forget the thing ever happened (sorry).

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    Replies
    1. Hello Arthur,

      Yes, I probably should have created a separate page for THEPRIS6NER. Yet the two series are much the same in some respects, and THEPRIS6NER does pay homage to the original series.
      Yes I do get a great deal out of the series, as do many others like me, such is my personal appreciation for the series.
      There's no need to be sorry that you would rather forget the thing ever happened. That is your opinion and you are free to express it. May I ask if you watched the whole series? As I know fans of the original series who gave upon THEPRIS6NER after only half an hour, and condemned the whole series based on only having watched half an hour of the first episode. While other fans of the original series, have taken another look at THEPRIS6NER and now see the value in it, finding that the series has more to say for itself than at first seen.
      I'm sorry you do not like the series, but thank you for expressing your feelings about it.

      Kind regards
      David
      BCNU

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